Survival
by Liannis
Summary: The BAU travels to NCIS headquarters to assist in stopping the SERE Slayer. Can these two teams work together to stop a killer or will the deathcount continue to rise? Criminal Minds/NCIS crossover. Set in S1 of Criminal Minds and post S2 of NCIS.
1. Chapter 1

Luis Bunuel wrote, "In the name of Hippocrates, doctors have invented the most exquisite form of torture ever known to man: survival."

The ding of the elevator happened so frequently, the NCIS agents didn't even notice it anymore. Tony glanced up more out of habit than anything, and was surprised by the group that had just entered the bullpen. Two men and a woman, all dressed in government-issue suits. Tony looked over at McGee ready to say something when the one of the men spoke.

"Which one of you is Agent Gibbs?"

A beat of silence, and then Gibbs answered. "That would be me. Who are you?"

"I'm Agent Hotchner with the FBI's Behavior Analysis Unit. This is Agent Morgan and Agent Greenaway." The two agents nodded, but didn't say anything.

"Why are you here?"

"I invited them, Jethro." All heads turned to see the Director standing on the balcony above them. "They're going to assist you in catching the SERE Slayer".

Gibbs's jaw tensed. "We don't need assistance. We're going to catch him."

"How do you propose to do that? Three petty officers dead in the last six months, no forensics, no witnesses, nothing. If you don't let us help you Agent Gibbs, more will die." As Hotchner spoke, he crossed the floor, stopping in front of Gibbs' desk.

The silence stretched for what seemed like an eternity before Gibbs cleared his throat. "All right, but you work for me." McGee and Tony breathed a sigh of relief and Hotchner nodded. "Deal. We're going to need access to all the files you have and a place to work."

Gibbs picked up a thin sheaf of papers in a file folder, and handed it to Hotchner. "That's it. Dinozzo?"

"Yes, boss?"

"Find these agents a place to set up."

"Right away, boss." Thankful for something to do, Tony motioned to Morgan and Greenaway to follow him, which they did. "Right this way."

"We're also going to need a comm link back to Quantico." Hotchner added.

"McGee?"

"I'll go let Abby know." McGee stood up and headed for the elevator. Once he was gone, Hotch smiled faintly.

"They're well trained."

"We've worked together a long time."

--

"Abby, where are you?" For once, McGee didn't see Abby anywhere. She was usually front and center, holding court over her mechanical subjects.

"Right behind you." McGee whirled to face her, startled.

"Don't do that."

Abby smirked. "You slept in a coffin, McGee. Compared to that, this was nothing."

"But, I didn't know it was a--, never mind. Gibbs needs you to establish a comm link with the FBI at Quantico."

Brushing past him, McGee caught a whiff of gunpowder. "What does Fornell need from us?" Before she finished the sentence, she was already typing away at the computer.

"It's not for Fornell. It's the Behavior Analysis Unit."

Abby paused, fingers poised over the keys. "The profilers? What are they doing here?"

"They're going to help us catch the SERE Slayer. It's all the Director's idea. Gibbs isn't very happy, but Agent Hotch--" Abby cut him off, as she resumed typing. She didn't turn around though her typing became more rapid.

"Hotchner? Was his name Hotchner? Who else was with him? A woman? A guy with a messenger bag? A guy Gibbs' age or one who looks kind of like Sacks?"

"Yes, yes, no, no, yes." Abby was brilliant, but this was bordering on psychic. "How do you know this? We didn't even know they were coming until five minutes ago." Abby ignored him, so he approached the console and put a hand on her shoulder. "Abby, what's going on??"

A window on the screen opened, and a blonde woman with funky glasses and a big grin appeared on the window Abby just opened.

"Oracle of Quantico - speak if you--Hey, Abbs, what's up?"

Mission completed, Abby looked at McGee. "Because, McGee, Garcia's the one Hotch needs to talk to."

"Nice to meet you, McGee. I've heard a lot about you from Abby."

"I wish I could say the same." He really shouldn't be surprised. Abby knew way more people in government labs than anyone McGee had ever met. But, he did make a mental note to find out exactly what Abby had told Garcia about him.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me the BAU were on the way out!"

"You wouldn't believe it, girl, but I'm often the last to know when the team gets sent out. They don't need me until they get there. I guess your Director's a good friend of Gideon's, because this went through fast. Normally, we have more unsubs than we can shake a stick at, but this one took priority."

"Unsub?" McGee was confused again.

"Unknown subject." Abby and Garcia answered in unison, something which left them both amused and McGee wondering if they realized how alike they really were.

--


	2. Chapter 2

With the teams gone, there was only the sound of papers as Hotchner flipped through the pages that Gibbs had provided him. Both were accustomed to silence as well as the power it possesses, and felt no need to fill the air with unnecessary words. Face blank, he examined each crime scene photo and read the reports. "This is it?"

"Yes, as you said, there was no forensic evidence, no witnesses."Then we'd better get started." He paused. "The last crime scene?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Found outside a month ago after a downpour. The body's in Autopsy with Dr. Mallard."

Hotchner nodded, leaving in the direction his team had traveled, Gibbs headed up the stairs for a meeting of his own.

"Agent Gibbs, the Director's unavail--"

That wasn't about to stop him as he pushed the door open. Director Shepherd was doing paperwork at her desk."Why did you call in the profilers?"

She didn't even look up. "You needed help. You know that."

"They're going to take over the operation, Jen, and -you- know that."

"Really?" Putting down her pen, she looked up at Gibbs. "That's not what it looked like to me. Agent Hotchner agreed that the Behavioral Analysis Unit would be at your disposal. If that's not good enough for you, that's unfortunate. They're staying."

"That's not your call." Gibbs growled.

"Actually, yes it is. As the Director, it is within my power to enlist outside assistance where it's needed. If that's all you have, I have other work to do."

Gibbs wasn't satisfied with her answer."You just want it to go away, so that's why you brought them in. I thought you were better than that."

"No!" She took a deep breath, regaining her composure before she continued. "I brought them in because I see how it's affecting you and your team. No clues, dead ends...it's wearing you down. This type of case is what they do, and you need to let them help you."

"I don't like this."

"I know."

--

"All right, what do we have?" Hotchner asked as he entered the room where Morgan, Elle, and DiNozzo were waiting. They had been joined by Gideon and Reid while he spoke with Agent Gibbs.

"Agent DiNozzo?" Without thinking, Tony stood up. "Three victims, two females and one male. All missing for approximately a week before being found dead in the woods. Different units, different COs. They had nothing in common. You name it, we checked. All three victims had been tortured extensively, but the cause of death was a single gunshot between the eyes. No bullet or shell casing was found at any of the three scenes."

Reid interrupted DiNozzo before he could continue. "That's unusual. Most victims of torture die from the injuries sustained, not a single fatal wound like a gunshot."

"Why would you torture someone for days only to shoot them in the head?" Elle asked. "That doesn't make any sense."

"It makes perfect sense. He got what he wanted. At that point, he had no more use for the victims, so they died." Hotch added.

"That means we need to figure out what he's trying to get from his victims." Gideon concluded.

"The answer may be in this file." Hotchner noted. "Reid, take this to the lab and send it to Garcia. The comm link's in the forensic lab. Have her check for any similar torture cases where the cause of death was a gunshot."

Reid took the folder. "I shall return shortly."

"I'll be back." Everyone turned to look at Tony who looked back at them, surprised. "C'mon. Terminator 2 with Ah-nold? It's a classic!"

Elle rolled her eyes, Morgan stifled a grin, but Hotchner and Gideon just stared. With a shrug, Reid left to deliver the paperwork.

--

"Hello? I was sent here by Agent Hotchner to deliver a case file. Is anyone down here?" Reid peeked curiously into the lab. Much bigger than Garcia's, he thought to himself.

"I am!" Abby piped up.

"Me too!" Garcia chimed in from the webcam. "What'cha got for me?"

He held out the file to Abby. "It's all the information NCIS has on the SERE Slayer. Hotch wants you to check for similar torture homicides."

Abby grinned. "She's already got the information."

"How?"

"I keep digital copies of the ongoing case files. I sent it to her about half an hour ago."

"I'll check that out for you though. Shouldn't take too long."

"Thanks, Garcia."

"Not a problem." Abby watched Reid leave, shaking her head. After he was gone, she turned back to Garcia.

"Am I right?" Garcia couldn't contain herself.

"You're right. He's just like McGee." Abby couldn't help it and started laughing. It didn't take long for Garcia to join her.

--

He watched her as she lay curled in a semi-fetal position on the cement floor. Her nude body shivered, in equal parts due to the chill in the air and in her heart."Why are you doing this to me? Please let me go. I won't tell anyone." The only response was a sharp kick to her abdomen that knocked the wind from her lungs, leaving her gasping. The second kick jarred two teeth free, and they bounced across the floor and off the nearby wall. Without giving her a chance to catch her breath, the beating continued until blackness overcame her. 


End file.
